Nice Shirt, Grissom
by firefly5151
Summary: St. Patrick's Day at the lab. Response to a YTDW challenge.


Disclaimer: CSI is not mine.

Summary: Response to a Your Tax Dollars at Work challenge. Requirements 1) Grissom wearing a green "Kiss Me I'm Irish" T-Shirt; 2) Greg trying to start a Norwegian holiday a la "Festivus"; 3) Nick going around pinching people who aren't wearing green and getting (or alluding to) Ecklie; 4) Catherine saying "I had a little Irish in me"; 5) Sara admitting to wearinggreen... and it being any kind of undergarment; 6) Brass having to participate in a parade and wear a funny hat; 7)Warrick and a bottle of Bailey's.

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The usually quiet and somewhat calm Las Vegas Crime Lab was anything but that. Arriving forty-five minutes before the start of graveyard shift, Sara strolled through the halls of the lab headed toward the break room. She was going for some much needed coffee. As she rounded the corner past the layout room, Nick dashed past, startling her. 

"Hi Sara," he said a little out of breath. "Bye Sara." With that, he rounded the corner out of sight.

Sara continued her trek to the break room, grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. As she was getting comfortable, Warrick walked in.

"Hi Sara."

"Hi Warrick." Sara spotted a bottle in his hand as he made his way to the far end of the room. "What's with the bottle?" she asked.

"Oh, this?" he said, pointing to the bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream in his hand. "Nothing. After work this morning, I got together with the guys. I owe Nick."

"Why?" she questioned, not fully understanding Warrick's reasoning.

"It's March 17. Ring any bells?" he said laughing.

"So?"

"So…it's St. Patrick's day today." He turned away from Sara and stashed the bottle of Bailey's in the top cabinet out of sight from the others. "Don't tell me you forgot, Sara?" he said as he seated himself at the table across from her. "Didn't you notice everyone wearing green or shamrocks?"

"Uh, I guess so." She took a sip of coffee and looked at Warrick. "Guess I forgot."

"You'd better be on the lookout for Nick. If he sees you're not wearing green…well, let's just say I warned you. He's totally in to this holiday."

"Thanks for the warning," she said and smiled at Warrick.

Outside the door of the break room, they heard Jacqui shout at Nick then start to laugh. Both Sara and Warrick watched as Nick walked in to the room.

"Evening guys," he said with a grin on his face, slowly looking from Sara to Warrick. "How is everyone this fine evening?"

"Don't you even think about it," commented Warrick.

"Think about what?" he asked slyly.

"You know what," Warrick returned. "I know what you're thinking. You can stop with the games Nicky my boy; we're not in school anymore. It's time for you to grow up." With that said, he got up from the table and started towards the door. When he was standing next to Nick, he turned towards him. "Look at my eyes. I never have to play this game." With a smile he continued out the door passing Catherine on her way in.

"Have to play what game?" Catherine said as she placed a box of shamrock shaped cookies on the break room table.

Sara looked from Nick, still standing by the door, to Catherine. "Let's just say Nick hasn't grown up yet."

Nick walked to the coffee, poured himself and cup and joined Sara and Catherine at the table. He reached for a cookie and started munching. "Hey Cat, these are good. What store did you get them at?"

"They didn't come from a store," she said as she took one herself. "I baked them."

Looking at Catherine like she'd grown two heads, Sara replied "You actually baked them? I'm in shock." Sara picked up a cookie and tasted it. "These are good Catherine."

"Thanks," she said smiling. "I had a little Irish in me today, plus I felt like baking something festive."

After finishing his cookie, Nick decided it was time to continue his game. He got up from the table and walked over to Catherine. Since she was in conversation with Sara, she didn't realize he was standing there. He looked at her up and down, a grin beginning to form on his face. Taking the opportunity, he reached out and pinched her arm.

"Ouch!" She looked over at Nick and swatted his hand away from her arm. "That was uncalled for."

"No it wasn't. You're not wearing green," he said laughing.

"Yes I am."

"Where?" he asked.

"Right here," she said pointing to the left side of her blouse. I'm wearing a shamrock pin with googely eyes and hands. Are you blind?"

"I'm not blind, but I think you're going crazy," he laughed, looking at Catherine's blouse.

"I have to agree with Nick, Catherine," Sara said, joining in and laughing.

Catherine looked down at her blouse and rolled her eyes. "Oops. I forgot that Lindsey wanted to borrow it and took it off my blouse before I left the house." She turned back to Nick. "Guess I did need to get pinched."

"Thank you," Nick said grinning at her.

At the sound of someone walking by the doorway, Nick glanced up and quickly got up from his seat.

"What's the rush Nick?" asked Sara.

"Ecklie. I saw him earlier and he wasn't wearing green. I just couldn't catch him last time. Gotta try now." When he was just about to leave the doorway, he turned around and looked at Sara. "You're next."

Sara looked at Catherine. "He has lost it hasn't he."

"No comment," Catherine replied. "I would like to see what happens to him if he ever does catch up with Ecklie."

Sara laughed at Catherine then looked up at the clock on the wall. "Wow, I'm surprised Grissom isn't here yet. Its thirty minutes before shift. I was planning on catching him before shift started."

"Don't worry," Catherine said as she turned her attention to the man walking through the door of the break room. She then started to laugh hysterically.

At Catherine's laughing, Sara turned around to see what was so funny. She couldn't contain herself either and joined with the laughter.

Walking through the door of the break room was Grissom. He was wearing grey slacks, a black jacket, and in place of his usual button down shirt, he was wearing a well-worn green t-shirt with white words that said _Kiss Me I'm Irish_.

"Nice shirt Grissom," Sara said between her fit of giggles.

Grissom just smiled at both of the laughing women. "It's not so funny. It is St. Patrick's Day. Why not wear something festive?"

"Yes Grissom," Catherine said, "but haven't you heard of just wearing something small that's green, like a pin, or a shirt that has some green on it?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Grissom asked.

Sara and Catherine continued their laughing while Grissom got his first cup of coffee for the day. As he finished pouring some in his mug, Nick walked back in to the room and sat down next to Sara.

"So, did you get him?" Sara asked.

"Nope. I wasn't fast enough. But I've got some more time." Nick glanced up at Grissom as he was sitting down across from Sara. Seeing Grissom's shirt, Nick began to laugh. "Love the shirt Grissom."

Grissom took a sip of coffee and smiled at Nick.

"Oh, that reminds me," Nick said and turned to Sara. "There's one more person I haven't checked out yet."

Sara looked at Nick. "Don't you even think about it, Nick."

"Come on Sara. Everyone else has been a good sport."

"Fine," she sighed.

Nick took a good, long, hard look at Sara. He didn't see a single speck of green on her. Knowing what he had to do next, he started reaching for Sara's arm.

Sara smiled at Nick and shot up out of her chair out of Nick's reach. "Not so fast. How do you know I'm not wearing green?"

"Well, you're wearing jeans, black boots, and a yellow top. There's no green in those. Plus, I ran in to Warrick in the halls and he said you didn't even know that it was St. Patrick's Day." Nick got out of his chair and slowly walked to Sara. "Now, if you don't mind, let's get back to what we were doing." He again reached out to pinch Sara's arm.

"I am wearing green, Nick," she stated.

"Um, unless I'm color blind, you are not."

"I am too," Sara whined, now sounding like a little girl. She was actually enjoying this.

"Ok Sara, I give. Where?"

Sara gave a huge grin. "Are you sure you want to see?"

That question got Grissom's attention and his eyes shot up to Sara. In his mind, he agreed with Nick. Sara wasn't wearing any green…at least not that he could see.

Sara lifted her right leg and put it up on the chair. Pulling up her jeans, her sock came in to view. It was white with little green shamrocks all around. "Ha!" she exclaimed.

Grissom started laughing. "She's got you there Nicky."

Nick smirked at Sara. "You're no fun. I've got to find some fresh meat." As he walked out the door, Sara and Grissom could hear him calling, "Oh Greg, where are you?"

Sara and Grissom just smiled at each other.

Later near the end of shift, Grissom found Sara in the layout room going over evidence from their case. "Sara, could you please get the rest of the gang for me and meet me in the break room. There's something we need to take care of before shift ends."

"Sure." Sara got up and left the room, while Grissom headed to the break room.

As Grissom was reading the paper he took out from his jacket pocket, his CSIs came wandering in and took a seat around the table. "Before we go home this morning, I have something to share." He looked up from the paper in his hand and showed it to the group in front of him.

"What is that?" Greg asked, squinting at the paper in Grissom's hand trying to make out what exactly it was.

"It's a flyer for the local St. Patrick's Day parade. Guess who's going to be in it?" Grissom asked.

"I haven't a clue," came Warrick's response.

"Wait Gris, St. Patrick's day was yesterday," said Greg.

"I know Greg, but the city didn't want to have a parade during the week so they waited for the weekend."

"Oh."

"Anyways, let's all go spend the last half hour and take in a parade, shall we? I know you won't be disappointed." Grissom got up from the table and the rest of the CSI's followed him out the door talking about the parade.

Ten minutes later they arrived at the parade route and took a spot at the front. After the fire truck and high school band went by, Grissom spotted who he was looking for. "Look over there guys," he said, pointing to the side closest to them. Behind the band was an LVPD vehicle and what could be assumed to be police officers, walking beside it.

As the officers got closer to the CSIs, they all busted out laughing. One officer stood out from the others. It was Brass. He was dressed in his usual attire, except for one tiny addition. He was wearing a green hat, just like the leprechaun from the box of Lucky Charm's cereal. When he passed his friends, Brass turned to them and said, "This wasn't my idea. Don't you dare say a word about this tonight. You'll never forget it." Brass took a quick glance at Grissom as passed by. "By the way, nice shirt Grissom."

End

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I would love your reviews and comments. By the way, I know I left off item #2. I wasn't too sure what exactly it was :) 


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